Are You Willing to Trust?

Chapter 23: The Truth

Waking up to the angry beep of my alarm, I roll off of my air mattress with a groan and pull on my work out clothing. Double checking my phone to make sure that I hadn't missed any messages from Roberts or face alerts for Daddy dearest. I tuck it into my bra and begin my decent out of the mansion for my run. 

 Letting the sweat drip off me, I push myself to run as hard as possible trying to work the exhaustion from my brain. By the time I had made it to bed last night, Mama Bitch had forced me to go over my story twice because she was so happy about me evading the "Academy brats" as she calls them. I had only managed to sneak away when she had gotten a phone call from someone. 

Taking a deep breath, I make my way to the edge of the driveway. Spotting the same guard from the day before I wave and begin to make my way back down the driveway. This time, however, the car that meets me comes from behind. Moving off to the side of the road, I glance up to find a gray sleek car keeping pace with me. Blackbourne.

The window slowly begins to roll down but I don't stop keeping my pace as we head down the driveway. "Good Morning Miss. Black." Nodding, I glance into the car and I am surprised to find Sang sitting in the front front seat with Mr. Blackbourne. Today was our girl's day, how could I forget. 

"Head on down, Victor is probably still asleep but his mother left early this morning." I state and with a nod the car heads down the long driveway. By the time I make it to the end, Sang is standing at the edge of the lawn watching me. 

"Do you always run?" She questions her voice soft but not wavering like I thought it would. 

"Every morning." I nod glancing to her and then looking around the mansion. "It helps to keep in shape. With the Academy you never know what you will be asked to do." I state meeting those soft green eyes. I nod toward the driveway and she smiles taking up a slow jog. 

Following her, I keep pace watching as she begins to formulate her questions. "Kota and some of the others don't want me to join." She states quietly after a couple of minutes. Her voice isn't winded but it is a little wispy. 

"Have you decided what you want?" I state knowing that the boys can state their opinions all they want but it comes down to what she wants. 

"I am unsure." She states firmly and I smirk slightly. She was strong in her opinion. A good trait to have. "I want to be able to help them on their missions. I don't want to just be in the way but I don't think I can handle undercover." 

Nodding, I slow down as she starts to become winded and we just walk. "The Academy is tough. They work you hard and they expect your best. Your boys know that. But with their support, I think you could do well. Kota and the others will understand your willingness to attend. So focus on your understanding of the Academy. You have the family behind you to support you and guide you. You aren't walking in blind."

Taking a breath, I feel the sudden urge to run when I notice the gears turning in Sang's head. "Did you walk in blind?"  I had slipped up and she had caught it. Glancing to her bright green eyes, I knew I had no way out. What a smart fucking girl. 

"Yes." The word hangs in the air and the wind shifts around us. "Yes, I walked in blind and god how I wish I had known." A silence hangs in the air for a little while before Sang's voice sparks up.  

"Do you regret joining?" She states and my eyes widen as I digest the question. Did I regret joining the Academy? I think back to all of the situations that I had been placed in. I flash back to the death of the police officer that occurred right in front of my face. 

"No." I smile looking toward the guard waving slightly as we turned around. "I don't regret it. I don't want to imagine what I would have become if-" Suddenly a black jeep zooms up and I frown meeting the smirk of North. 

"Hey Tat! Hi Trouble! Going for a morning walk?" Gabriel smiles getting out of the jeep and North continues on down the driveway. Giving him a good stare down, I silently walk back with Sang and Gabriel. There went girls day. 

Making our way back down the driveway, I spot Victor, North, and Mr. Blackbourne standing just outside the side door where I had exited. North was growling at his leader. "I don't give a fuck if Sang wants to learn more about the Academy or not. She can ask one of us not that fucking bitch. She could fucking try and pull her away from us. Try and get her to join her fucking team. I don't give a rats ass what you agreed to. I won't stay away from Sang Baby."

"If that is what you think North than you never knew me at all." The words come out as ice and I almost shiver in response as the small girl steps up to the male anger clear in her eyes. 

"Sang Baby, you know I didn't mean-" North begins but Sang is having none of it and cuts him right off. 

"Didn't mean what North? Didn't mean that I would just turn on you and leave without a seconds notice. Just disappear." Her voice slowly begins to gain in volume but never raises above a whisper. Frowning, I glance to Gabriel who seems to be frozen in place. 

"Miss. Sorenson, Mr. Taylor didn't mean for it to sound like that. Since you are a Ghost Bird, the Academy will take interest-" But before the leader could even finish Sang has cut him off. 

"Ghost Bird this and Ghost Bird that. Being a ghost doesn't change who I am Owen." I freeze hearing the clear cut bark that comes with saying the male's first name. Shit this girl had some fire in her. "I wouldn't leave you guys no matter what and you know that. I made that clear when we became serious. I made it clear when I began to date all of you at the same time." Sang states her arms trembling slightly in anger. "What don't you understand about me wanting to get to know Angel and ask her questions? If you don't trust me fine but then at least admit it." 

"It isn't you Sang Baby. I promise. I trust you with all of my heart. And I know that you would never leave us. But I don't trust her." North states his eyes tearing up as his love angrily glares at him. 

"And yet last night when she was alone with Victor you seemed to be just fine." Sang states her eyes narrowing and I can see North realizing his misstep. "You can't just choose not to trust her around me. You trusted her with Victor's life. Everyone has. It was her plan that you all followed last night. Not yours. Not anyone else's.  So don't blame this on Angel. It's because of issues in our family that are causing problems that you are upset. Nothing else. It doesn't even have anything to do with her." By the end of her sentence the girl was panting in frustration. Taking a large deep breath, she schools her emotions and looks from North to Mr. Blackbourne and then to Gabriel and Victor. 

"Our family has been put under a lot of stress since I have been adopted. It used up most of our resources and I understand that it isn't my fault but we need to work on ourselves because of it. All of us. Not just one. Everyone together has to improve. We are a team, Academy or not and we are family." Sang states before turning and meeting my gaze a question clear in her eyes. 

"Why do you not work with a team?" The words hang in the air just as they had done previously on our walk. The girl was fucking smart and damn these boys were lucky. She would be the one to keep them all together.

"Trust." I state glancing to the other four before looking to the woman in front of me.